GarBear’s ALS Battle Fund

On August 27, 2016, Gary had his entire life in front of him. In a national forest outside of Denver, he gathered with those closest to him to marry the love of his life. In a clearing in the woods, lovingly decorated by their friends and family, they read their vows to one another– promising to support each other, for better or for worse... But nothing could prepare them for just how much worse things would soon become. On December 17, a few short months after the wedding, Gary was diagnosed with ALS. A deluge of tests and misdiagnoses had reached a frustrating dead end. Gary was experiencing  strange symptoms— minor twitching, weakness in the hands, choking,  and slight voice changes. Only those closest to him noticed. His doctors attributed these random occurrences to stress. But he was a happy newlywed that had just bought a new home and was ready to start a beautiful family.  As the months drew on, the symptoms got much worse, and it was clear there was more than merely stress or a pinched nerve at play.
Home alone one night, Gary's new wife Katie sat in bed binging the docuseries VICE. Around midnight she considered turning in, but decided to watch one last episode, "Die Trying" a look inside the lives of people diagnosed with ALS. Ten minutes into the show, she knew. The way his hands looked and the sound of his voice. Frantically, she researched the best ALS doctors in Denver and made an appointment for Gary. After multiple MRIs and thousands of dollars in medical bills later, they finally received the devastating confirmation. It was undoubtedly Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. For those unfamiliar, ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, affects the motor neurons in a person's brain and spinal cord, causing muscles to rapidly waste away. ALS patients don't, however, experience any deterioration of the mind, and instead must endure remaining totally aware as the disease robs them of all bodily functions. Unfortunately, Gary’s ALS has progressed much faster than expected. Refusing to wallow in devastation, Gary is doing the only thing he can do— live. His profound ability to confront such tragic circumstances daily and still find the positivity, light, and laughter in life is an inspiration. His will to experience as much as he can while he's able to, is not only a testament to his strength and courage, but serves as a reminder to us all how fragile and precious life really is. Being present and living life to the fullest should not simply be elusive concepts by which we hope to live by, but rather a practiced doctrine at work in our lives. For Gary, what should have been the beginning of his life as a husband, homeowner, and dog dad, has now turned into a terrifying reality. He requires the care of an in-home nurse to assist his wife in making sure his needs are met. He no longer is able to walk, speak, or feed himself without assistance. Although we can't do anything to reverse what this awful disease is doing to his body,  we can attempt to make the remaining time he has left a little more comfortable. Just as his friends and family banded together to make his wedding day the magical celebration of love and life that it was, we now ask that you come together to ensure that he can live out the rest of his life in dignity and at peace. If you're in a position to give, please do so by clicking donate. If you're not in a position to give,  consider donating your voice to the human voice bank. For more information checkout Vocalid.com  Gary will also be taking donations from companies for an upcoming benefit on Sunday May 20th, 2018 at The Coronado Brewing Co. 
1205 Knoxville St
San Diego, Ca 92110
Thank you for all of your love and compassion.